In 2016 film director Ken Loach made something of a national splash with I, Daniel Blake and its searing indictment of the current welfare system in the UK. Here at DCA we had over 2500 people attending our screenings – including over 250 students from nine different schools across the region – coming along in the knowledge that writer Paul Laverty’s meticulous research had included several trips to see the situation here in Dundee. Now, three years on, the same filmmaking team have crafted a whole new story but with similar intent – this time to shine a light on the current day impact of financial austerity and the harsh realities of the gig economy.

A victim of the UK-wide financial crash of 2008 – it cost him both his work in construction and his mortgage – father-of-two Ricky firmly believes a better future may be just around the corner. When a promising opportunity as a freelance delivery driver presents itself, Ricky persuades his wife, Abbie, who works as a carer for the elderly, to sell the car she uses to rush between her “clients” to finance the van’s purchase. Having never been on the dole, Ricky is confident his work ethic will see him through. As a self-employed “owner-driver franchisee”, however, every minor setback or delay triggers a fine, with no recourse and no second chances. Abbie faces equally exploitative pressures in her zero-hour-contract job and their family life is soon pushed to breaking point.

Rigorously researched, Sorry We Missed You depicts the ruinous human cost of zero hours contracts with gut-wrenching honesty and integrity. A heartbreaking and incendiary film, it’s both an intimate family drama and a worrying critique of a callous, inhumane economic system.

Dir: Ken Loach UK/France/Belgium 2019 / 1h40 / Ages 15+

We are open for school bookings from 11:00 on Thu 22 August until Fri 1 November (with priority booking at our Teachers Preview).

Please book early as many films sell out. To be certain of our assistance with your travel arrangements please book before Wed 25 September.